The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-03-16
IN CASE CT FIRE.



The following letter appeared In the
London Times
Win you grant me space to explain
briefly what. think. should be the first
thing to be done by girl or woman
whose dress has caught fire, and SINH
larry the first duty of any one who goes
to her rescue?
A girl or woman who meets with this
accident should Immediately lie down on
the floor, and so any one who goes to
her assistance should instantly. IL she
still be erect. make her lie down, or II
needful. throw her down In horizontal
position, and keep her In 1t.
Sparks fly upward. and flames ascend.
Ignition from below mounts with fearful
rapidify; and, as a result, we'll known to
experts. the fatality or dlsfigurements IN
these lamentablo cases is due to the
burns Inflicted about the body neck.
face and head. and not injuries to the
lower limbs.
Now. the very moment that the person
whose clothes are on fire Is In q hori-
zontal position on q fiat surface, the
flames still ascend, but only into the air.
and not encircling their victim. Time L.
thus gained for further action. and in
such crisis In q fight against fire few
seconds are precious. nay, priceless.
Once In the promo position. the person
afflicted may crawl to q bell-pull or to
door. so as to clutch at the ono or open
the other to obtain help. The draught
from an open door into the room would
serve to blow the flames. II any. away
from the body.
Or again. still crawling, the sufferer
may be able to secure a rug or table.
cover. or other article at hand, TO smoth-
or any remaining flames.
say remaining flames, for as soon as
the horizontal position Is assumed they
have no longer much to feed upon, and
may either do out as the phrase is. or
may be accidentally or Intentionally ex-
tinguished as the person rolls or moves
upon the floor.
In any case not only is time gained.
but the injury inflicted Is mlnhnized.
In the event Of the conditions not being
those OF self help, but OF assistance from
another. II 1t be q man who comes 10 the
rescue. having first and instantly thrown
the girl or woman down, 1t Is easy to
take on his coat and 30 stii1e the dimin-
ished flames with thts or some other
suitable covering, the flames playing
now upward from the lower limbs or
lower part Of the body OF tho PROSTATE
tellowscreaturos s@
II 1t be- o woman who rushes to give
aid, this last-named condition suggests
that the safer mode OF rendering It is 10
approach the sufferer by the head. and
fling something thence over the lower
part OF the body, for fear OF setting fro
TO herself
II. In these fearful accidents, the hori-
zontal position be assumed or enforced.
there would be. In short. comparative
immunity and limited injury. Ii not,
what must happenY The fire Will mount;
the flames land 1t 10 these which do the
injury will enyeiop the body insI!e and
outside the clothes, and will reach the
neck and head, and then, indeed. they
may be snothered by coat or wrapper.
or rug, while the victim ~ frlghtlully
dieflgured or IL doomed to perish.
For many years have urged these
Views while featuring on injuries from
burns and once had ON occasion to
illustrate them practically. though In @
comparatively trivial accident
Some dressings OF very infiammable
character caught fire at the bedside OF a
patient IN one OF my surgical wards:
they were promptly seized by 9 student,
who. threw them 5tto Aha middle OF the
ward, aud endeayored to stamp out the
flaming material. But this containing
paraffin and resin adhered to his boots,
and his legs as he danced about were
getting uncomfortably hot.
10 his astonishment, and to the un-
doubted surprise OF every one in sight,
caught him by the collar of his coat.
and tripped up his legs. Instantly the
flames became harmless, and were ex-
tinguished by q nurse throwing . Jug OF
water on them.
have often thought that on the APP
proach of the Winter season there should
be at every school, whether board. vol
untary. or private, whether for girls or
boys, an address, II not an actual demon
stratlon by means of suitable models,
pointing out what should be done Ia
these special calam.ties.
II two upright models were prepared
alike, and simultaneously set on fire. one
being thrown down after two seconds
and one after thirty seconds. or at any
other two different times, the memories
OF children would receive lasting. and
II might be seryiceable, impression.